Changing Wings
by Sky Hunter
Summary: A rider suffers a tremendous loss, but may also find what that might keep him going. Set in the same AU as 'Visitors'.


OOC: the Dragonriders of Pern is copyright to Anne McCaffrey.

* * *

It was still fairly dark when B'dar woke, the sounds of claws clicking against the stone floor and the low rustle of wings being moved telling him that Whalath was about to wake up as well. Knowing the green, she would want to be out and stretching her wings as soon as she was completely awake, so with a wide yawn-- he sat up to give his arms and back a good stretch. 

If his memory served him right, there would be a Threadfall in a few hours too, which likely meant that Whalath would be wanting a light meal and a good swim in the Weyrlake in time before that. At the age of 15 turns, half the age of her rider, the green was by no means old-- but a threadscore from a few turns back meant that she had to warm up carefully before a Fall to avoid cramping muscles.

:_Half a herdbeast or so does sound rather tasty just about now. So while you are having your breakfast, I will go and catch mine,_: Whalath's faceted eyes whirled with light in the semi-darkness as she looked towards her rider.

:_I'll even give you a lift down from our weyr if you're quick_:

"As opposed to me having to climb down?" B'dar replied wryly, hiding a grin as he pulled on his trousers, and pulling his fingers through his dark brown hair-- he went in search of the rest of his clothes. During last night's visit, he hadn't exactly been thinking about where he dropped them.

Whalath snorted:_you are not a good climber. I remember when you tried to get that weyrbrat down from the tree, you ended up at the Healers with a broken leg. F'sar thought it was funny, I did not_:

Turning around as he finished getting dressed, B'dar gave a short chuckle, "now, that's something I would rather not go through again. Any discomfort that leg caused me was nothing against my dear 'dear weyrmate's' mocking".

A few quick steps brought him over to Whalath's side, and he gave the green's shoulder a pat as she positioned her forearm for him to use as a step up to her neck. Since it would only be a short flight down into the bowl, he wouldn't bother with a harness-- sparing himself the job of taking it back off for the green to hunt and have a swim, only to have to put it back on later.

Then, from the green's foreleg, it was only a short leap up to swing one leg over her neck and get seated between two of her neck-ridges.

"All ready to go, let's not waste any time" B'dar said, leaning slightly forwards as Whalath headed for the ledge outside of their weyr, from where she would take off to glide down into the Weyrbowl.

* * *

Around the entire wide rim of the Weyr, perched hundreds of dragons-- green, blues, browns and bronzes, and the four queens of the Weyr. The noise was really quite impressive, as dragons chewed their initial batch of firestone or communicated among themselves, eager to meet the Fall they would soon be flying against. 

:_I have chewed what I need, I'm ready_: Whalath said, turning her head to give the offered lump of firestone a light nudge with her nose. She shifted impatiently, claws clicking against rock as she did so, and then the green exhaled noisily as she looked towards the Weyrleader and his bronze for more than the dozenth time. However, a moment later her entire body tensed as the bronzerider raised his arms, the warning of imminent departure passing through to every single dragon in an instant.

Quickly returning the firestone to one of the bags attached to Whalath's harness, B'dar checked his security-straps again, taking a good hold on the neck-ridge in front of him as the signal to depart was given. Whalath crouched further, and then they were both aloft with the rest of their Wing, soaring upwards to the proper height for going between to where they would be meeting the Fall.

Angling her wings, Whalath veered slightly to the right to take her proper place in the Wing. And observing his dragon's movements to make sure that there was no sign of faltering, B'dar gave her an encouraging pat-- before they and the Wing blinked between to the point where they would engage the Fall.

* * *

The shimmering haze that was Thread slowly falling towards the lightly forested area below wasn't a unfamiliar sight to B'dar, but he still felt something like a thrill as it came into sight when Whalath banked. It had been estimated that the Fall would miss Lemos Hold by several miles, but there was still vulnerable land and herds of beasts to be protected. All of which could too easily be ruined by a few strands getting past the Wings. 

:_We will meet the leading edge first,_: Whalath informed him, eagerly following the rest of the Wing to engage. Then, just before the first silvery strands came into reach, the green snarled-- jaws gaping wide as she exhaled the first burst of flame. They both felt a certain dark pleasure as the writhing strands burned, leaving only harmless ashes to fall onto the ground below.

But there was no time to dwell on it, as they had just met the Fall, there was still hours left until they would be finished. It did not take long for either for fall into their usual fighting rythm-- Whalath diving, veering and flaming, B'dar giving her more firestone when she needed it. Sometimes warnings came from other dragons about strands they were in a position to catch, and other times it was Whalath who passed on such warnings.

When it happened, it all came too fast for either of them.

A light wind had been blowing all the time since they came out of between, and too occupied with fighting, few really noticed that the wind increased in strenght-- gusting down from the mountains in the distance. Although they both heard the warning cry from one of their blue wingmates, there was no time to react as a gust of wind sent a tangle of Thread straight at Whalath.

B'dar could only watch in horror as the tangle wrapped itself around Whalath's head, silvery strands boiling down the green's long neck towards him. There was no sound from Whalath, and a strange numbness surged through B'dar, drowning out the despair part of him knew that he should be feeling. He probably screamed when the thread burned through his wher-hide jacket and trousers-- touching flesh.

One part of him might have registered a large shadow passing over him and a strange tingle pulsed through his skin, then the world seemed to end in a deafening explosion of light all around him.


End file.
